The present invention relates generally to shutters, blinds and other coverings, collectively referred to as shades, for windows, doorways and other permanent and temporary apertures and openings.
Shutters and blinds typically have a plurality of horizontally oriented rotatably adjustable slats. Typically, such shades comprise an assembly of plural individual slats. Each slat must be individually replaced if it is desired to change a slat due to any reason, such as damage, soiling, etc. The slats are vertically spaced apart and hang from a plurality of depending drawstrings. The drawstrings must be threaded through each individual slat. By xe2x80x9cthreadxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cthreadingxe2x80x9d,it is meant that the hole in the shade or attachment is circumscribed by a solid periphery, and the drawstring is necessarily inserted through the hole in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of such hole. In contrast, according to the present invention, the drawstring may be inserted without threading. Instead of threading, the drawstring may be inserted into the attachment in a lateral or radial direction, providing speed and convenience to the user. Shades having vertically oriented slats are also known in the art, and suffer from much of the same disadvantages, as shades having horizontally oriented slats.
Shades also include cellular and single panel embodiments. Such shades typically are suspended from a header by a plurality of drawstrings. These shades often comprise a plurality of horizontal pleats, through which the drawstrings are threaded. These shades provide the benefit that a unitary assembly can be inserted and removed to cover the opening, but also have the disadvantage of requiring threading of the drawstrings through individual pleats.
Frequently, the user will wish to provide a pattern, coloring or aesthetically pleasing indicia on the shade. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,529, iss. Nov. 23, 1993 to Landis, teaches individual decals being applied to the slats of horizontally oriented blinds. Each decal contains a portion of the desired design. When the individual slats are viewed together, an entire design is formed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,563, iss. Aug. 22, 1995 to Hindel et al., teaches a shade secured to a roller and having a high definition print applied to the face of the shade. The shade is treated to make it non-stretchable. U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,323, iss. May 25, 1971 to Gossling et al., teaches a blind having a decorative scalloped edge. However, these references fail to teach a shade having a design which is conveniently removable and replaceable. Each of these attempts in the art requires complex disassembly and reassembly if the user wishes to change the color, pattern, or other aesthetic effect of the shade. Disassembly/reassembly are equally complex if one wishes to change another feature of the shade, such as its size or position on the opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,504, iss. Mar. 7, 2000 to Judkins, teaches an exemplary honeycomb type of cellular window covering suspended from two pairs of cords. Another attempt in the art is U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,035, iss. May 2, 2000 to Laster-Bivens. Laster-Bivens teaches an apparatus for hanging various styles of shades, and comprising four depending draw cords. The individual draw cords are threaded through a hanging grid at discrete predetermined locations. To xe2x80x9csimplifyxe2x80x9d the installation process, the draw cords may be secured with quick release stops. However, both of these attempts in the art still require the time consuming task of threading cords or strings through individual holes in the shades.
An attempt to overcome threading individual cords or strings through individual holes is given by U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,962 B1, iss. Feb. 27, 2001 to Glover. Glover teaches a telescoping support bar and window treatment panels which are joined together by hook and loop fasteners. When the consumer desires to change the panel, the hook and loop attachment means are released and a new panel applied. However, Glover does not teach easily replaceable pleated shades which are raised and lowered by the user.
Another attempt to forego threading drawstrings through individual holes is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,127, iss. Oct. 27, 1992 to Schumacher. Schumacher teaches a temporary covering fastened to the top of the window frame by an adhesive fastening strip and adjusted to length by a pair of clipping means. Schumacher""s adhesive does not allow for permanent or even long term attachment of the temporary covering. Yet, another attempt is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,045, iss. Nov. 14, 1989 to Stahler. Stahler teaches a flexible window shade assembly having a pair of guide tracks 30 which receive and support the window shade assembly. Stahler is not suitable for use with the existing infrastructure, which primarily relies upon the draw cords disclosed above. U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,292 B1, iss. Mar. 6, 2001 to Jackson, discloses a venetian blind window covering comprising two individual blinds. The individual blinds are detachably secured together, one on top of the other. The blinds may be individually changed or independently controlled by the user. However, the Jackson blinds are not suitable for relatively short windows, and, more significantly, do not allow the user to conveniently change the size or appearance of the entire blind system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,003, iss. Apr. 7, 1987 to Henley, Sr., teaches a shutter assembly with individually removable slats. Henley does not require the assembly to be threaded through drawstrings. Instead, each slat is provided with a dowel at each end. The dowel fits into vertically spaced sockets in the side rails. The Henley assembly does not allow for removal and insertion of a new assembly all at once, nor is Henley usable with the pleated shades so popular today.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,238, iss., Sep. 3, 1985 to Markowitz also teaches a window shade comprising strips connected by severable connecting threads. The strips may be torn from each other if one wishes to remove an individual strip for sizing. Markowitz, like Henley, fails to teach a way to conveniently change the entirety of a window shade.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art to accommodate convenient removal and insertion of window shades. Particularly, there is a need to provide removal and insertion of shades which do not require threading individual strings or cords through individual holes in a shade. Further, the need exists for convenient insertion and removal of the popular pleated shades in use today.
The invention comprises an apparatus for at least partially obscuring or covering an opening. The apparatus comprises a header. The header is attachable to the periphery of the opening and particularly may be attachable to the frame of the opening, if provided. The apparatus further comprises at least one drawstring extending away from the header and in operative association with the header. Also provided is a shade. The shade has a proximal end juxtaposed with the header and a distal end opposed thereto. The shade has a plurality of attachments attachable to the drawstring. The shade is operatively associated with the drawstring without threading the drawstring through holes in the shade. In operation, the distal end of the shade may be moved towards or away from the header by operation of the drawstring.
If desired, the shade may be pleated and/or cellular. Multiple drawstrings and/or an external motor for automated operation of the shade may be provided. The shade is conveniently removable from the balance of the apparatus in order that the user may easily replace the shade, as desired.
All documents cited are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention.